Dublin City Council had fix for pipe that left thousands high and dry, TD claims

25/07/17 James Reid (9) and his dad, Shane from Highlands, Drogheda who have been without water for several days pictured filling up their water containers at Drogheda Leisure Centre this afternoon (Image: Picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin)

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A TD has claimed that a Dublin council had the exact fitting needed to repair a water main that left Drogheda and East Meath high and dry for a week.

And she has claimed that Irish Water needlessly prolonged a drought that left tens of thousands of people without water.

Imelda Munster has information Dublin City Council had the exact fitting needed but it’s claimed Irish Water refused it – and got a new one made in the North instead.

In a written response to the TD, Irish Water insisted it had to get its own “bespoke engineered parts” manufactured privately which took two days.

A spokesman yesterday claimed the part would have been unsuitable.

A statement added: “The required parts were not available anywhere in the country as all local authorities [including Dublin City Council] had standard fittings which were the same size as the standard fittings Louth County Council had used in the first three attempts made to repair the warped main.

“The bespoke engineered parts had to be manufactured to precise measurements to repair the warped and damaged water main.”